And those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good. 29:69 The Quran

Telling Aspects of Sailors' Row

Dr Syed Javed Hussain

British Sailors’ issue has reached its ultimate end, however, it has left many shadows in its wake that need highlighting. Although this had not happened for the first time, yet it was painted as if Iran had committed some felony capturing 15 UK sailors who avowedly had violated Iranian waters.

Theories were churned in international media by sycophant sudo-intellectuals about Iran’s mala fide intentions questioning Iran ‘s inalienable right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The similar episode in 2004 ended within four days when six Royal Marines and two British sailors had sauntered into Iranian waters, however, this time stung badly in Iraq jittery UK, with the burden of joint responsibility with its coalition partners to clean its Aegean Stables in Iraq found it convenient to make a mountain out of a molehill to deflect attention from Iraq and lay focus on a new crisis in the Gulf.

The way Tony Blair reacted to the capture of the sailors and the undiplomatic phraseology he used to send message across to Iran left much to be desired. The haste with which he went to UNSC expecting, quite wrongly though, robust support from the world body as on Iran’s nuclear programme, also hinted at the paucity of respect to Iran as a nation albeit total disregard to its sovereignty.

Talking to GMTV he said, ‘’I hope we manage to get them (Iranian) to realise they have to release them. … If not, then this will move into a different phase.’’ Apparently it seemed Balair’s aggressive diction was intended to prolong the crisis so that the US on behalf of international community would step in, as ever, and settle old scores with Iran .

Everything seemed premeditated with third US carrier heading toward the region to take part in the greatest ever naval exercises in Gulf waters with the other two already present in the area. The US remained tight lipped throughout the wrangling when both UK and Iran were disputing the position of the sailors at the time to their arrest.

From the interview of Cmdr Kevin Aandahl, a spokesman for the US 5th Fleet, he gave to The Associated Press from fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, it transpired that the US right from the beginning knew fully well the exact position of the sailors.

It, however, backed UK call for the immediate release of the sailors without acknowledging whether Iran had the right to defend the integrity of its territorial waters. The US knew the GPS coordinates of the ship at the time the incident occurred, but it did not release them publicly.

The chequered history of Uk-Iran relations has many bumps and depressions that leave a lot of room for speculations and make either nation unpredictable in diplomatic circles.

The UK role in unsettling Iran for the last fifty years has been of a spoiler who never cared for the sensitivities and concerns of a very thoughtful nation who has all the genes to be the Leader of the East. For the first time in recent history the trouble started when Iran nationalised the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company that according to Iran was exploiting its natural resources. Within two years the nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq was deposed with active support of Britain.

The Anger continued to brew and finally in the revolution of 1979 the people of Iran overthrew the puppet government of Iran as well as deposed the King that had the support of the UK and the US and was largely considered unpatriotic, irreligious and incapable sycophant heading the establishment working against the interests of Iranian nation.

In 1980 Britain severed its diplomatic ties with Tehran until September 1990 when relations were restored but they were limited to the level of charge d’affaires and were later upgraded to ambassador level in 1998 after a lot of bickering.

In 2001 Jack Straw, UK foreign secretary, visited Iran after 22 years to forge a coalition against the Taliban in Afghanistan on behalf of the US. Next year, however, UK-Iran diplomatic relations suffered another set-back when Iran refused to accept David Reddaway as UK new ambassador to Iran and called him a spy. In August 2003 UK arrested Iranian diplomat Hade Soleimanpour, who was wanted by Argentina on terror charges.

Iran demanded an apology that was not forthcoming. However, since 2003 the UK is fully siding with the US and have been pressurising Iran on all fronts to abandon its nuclear programme. Along with the US Iran considers the UK as a very hostile country regarding its national interests. Since 2003 a blame game of mutual incrimination is going on in full swing.

The UK along with the US has been blaming Iran for fomenting trouble in Iraq without proof whereas Iran has been pointing finger at the UK for terrorist attacks inside Iran. With this perspective one can understand the aggressive posture of Tony Blair handling the trouble that started on 23rd March, however, one fails to understand why should morals stoop so low and dignity should so easily leave a demagogue who claims to the leader of the most cultured nation of the West. Even the Bias, depravity and immorality of British Media was fully exposed in its presentation of the one side of the story. The prisoners were called as ‘hostages’ as if they had not done any wrong and were captured wrongfully for some unlawful gains.

For example, The Independent referred to the British sailors “seven days after they were taken hostage.” The Times wrote of the ‘hostage crisis.’ The Telegraph also used the word ‘hostage.’ This is indicative of gross misunderstanding of Iranian society as well as Islamic civilisation.

What did they see in an Islamic society of 65 millions people with God fearing leadership avowedly acceding to Islamic principles of justice, fair-play, truth, human rights, peace and stability that they should lower down it to the level of common thugs?

Tony Blair and George W Bush whose lies are now exposed to the whole world had the cheek to call in question the integrity, veracity and honesty of Iranian leadership and challenge their right to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Information

Everything seemed premeditated with third US carrier heading toward the region to take part in the greatest ever naval exercises in Gulf waters with the other two already present in the area. The US remained tight lipped throughout the wrangling when both UK and Iran were disputing the position of the sailors at the time to their arrest.﻿